Where to See Kiwi Birds in New Zealand

See a real-life kiwi!

Considering kiwis are New Zealand’s national icon, you would think they are everywhere. They’re not. Kiwi birds are not only an endangered species but nocturnal so chances of just bumping into one are very slim. However, because Kiwis love kiwis, there are plenty of conservation projects set up to protect these native flightless birds. Additionally, there are sanctuaries and zoos to see a real-life kiwi. So where can you see kiwi birds in New Zealand?The kiwi habitat is mostly dark bush areas of New Zealand like the forests or sometimes wetlands. Seeing them in the wild is a truly rewarding experience but pretty tough to accomplish, especially when most sightings occur at night. Alternatively, seeing a kiwi in a conservation house or centre gives you the opportunity for a closer look, but lacks that feeling of wonder and achievement that you get when seeing a wild kiwi. Either way, here are the different places where you can find a kiwi bird in New Zealand.

Kiwi spotting in NZ

Spotting a kiwi is on many traveller’s bucket lists when visiting New Zealand, so we’ve divided this article into the three methods of seeing a kiwi:

Kiwis in the Wild

The kiwi’s natural habitat is in remote forest areas, usually nesting in burrows, hollow logs or under vegetation. You are more likely to hear the males’ loud screeching call or the females’ hissing sound in the wild. For those determined enough to see a kiwi in its natural habitat, kiwi spotting tours will give you a better chance of making dreams come true.Places to see a wild kiwi are:

Kiwi Sanctuary

One of the most famous kiwi sanctuaries in New Zealand is Zealandia, just outside Wellington city. It is avalley sanctuary and tourist attraction where you can see kiwis and many other native New Zealand wildlife in their natural habitat, albeit a controlled habitat. The 225ha area is protected by a specially designed fence to protect the wildlife within from anymammalian pests. Zealandia puts on night tours to see the little spotted kiwi.There are also other sanctuaries supported by the Department of Conservation, allowing more kiwis to survive and increase the population. These sanctuaries are:

Kiwis in captivity

There are various places in New Zealand to see a kiwi in captivity. The brown kiwi is permanently kept in captivity, whereas the captivity of little spotted and grey spotted kiwis are being reduced. Kiwis are held in captive facilities for research, practice captive management skills, and for tourism. Here are some of the places you can see a kiwi in captivity: